


Drowsy Drabbles

by livbean, livbean_cursed (livbean), vlaplomb, vlaplomb_cursed (vlaplomb)



Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Random & Short, everyone acts pretty dumb, married!kywi, simpery sprinkled in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:14:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25662667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livbean/pseuds/livbean, https://archiveofourown.org/users/livbean/pseuds/livbean_cursed, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlaplomb/pseuds/vlaplomb, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlaplomb/pseuds/vlaplomb_cursed
Summary: A collection of simple fics, written by two friends at ungodly hours of the night.Latest Installment(s):Lovely&Lieutenant
Relationships: Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, Lila Desroses/Lukas "Grumpy Cat" Randall, William Hawkes/Kym Ladell
Comments: 103
Kudos: 198





	1. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had originally planned to make this a series of separate oneshots, but I eventually decided to just throw it all in one spot. Drabble collections have always held a special place in my heart 😌

Kym’s eyes opened slowly, slamming shut shortly after at the sharp pain that shot across her temple. The hardwood floor beneath her held a thick coat of dust. She felt like she was suffocating.

She rolled over onto her back, wincing as her wrist twisted too far. Sitting still, she tried in vain to remember where exactly she was. Opening her eyes once more, she glanced around the dark hall. A two way radio lay broken on the cherry floorboards.

 _William’s_ , she decided after a moment. 

"Shit.” She shot up from the floor with a yelp, holding a hand to her head. “Will?”

Rising slowly, Kym called his name again. There was no answer. 

She started down the hallway, running a hand along the wall to steady herself. The house was silent, save for the frequent creaking of the wood under her boots. “Will!”

With each door she passed, Kym’s cries for the lieutenant became increasingly frantic. Her ears were ringing, the ache in her head worsened by two tolling bells.

She paused at a corner to regain balance on the wall, jumping as a shot rang out across the manor. “ _Shit!_ ” 

Kym’s head was splitting in throbbing pain, but she continued to sprint in the direction of the resounding singular report. Eventually reaching what she assumed was a dining room, she ran through the unlatched double doors.

The moon cast slivers of light through windows, haphazardly laying them across chairs and the ruined flooring. A low groan echoed from behind the table, followed by a shaken exhale.

“William?” Kym questioned, taking a careful step forward.

“Kym.”

She stumbled over toward his voice, inhaling sharply at the sight that greeted her. Blood stained the cotton of his shirt, a field of poppies contrasting against pure white. His hand rested over his stomach in an attempt to slow the crimson spreading along his abdomen. His gun sat beside him.

“Will, what- what happened?” She fell to her knees, replacing his hand with her’s. 

He hissed at the sensation and ran shaking fingers through his hair. “That bastard got away. I shot him, but it clearly didn’t do much,” he said hoarsely.

Kym bit her lip, glancing down at the blood seeping onto her fingers. “How bad does it hurt?” she asked, pressure building in her throat.

His voice hitched on his own words. “Pretty damn bad.”

Kym widened her eyes in an attempt to fend off the heat that was gathering behind them. The red blooming on Will's front blended with their surroundings in her bleary vision, creating yet another mess that Kym decidedly couldn't fix. Swallowing her tears, Kym managed a shaky smile. She didn't want him to see her cry- she didn't want him to share her worries.

Still, a stubborn tear slipped down her face, falling onto Will's cheek. She swiped it away, trying to hide the evidence before he could feel it.

Will smiled up at her, distorting the gruesome fingerprints she had left behind. “Am I really that drop-dead gorgeous?”

“Don’t reuse my jokes,” she sniffled. “There is _nothing_ funny about this.”

He reached a hand out to brush at the tears staining her cheek. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to be okay.”

Kym opened her mouth to respond, a sob escaping instead. Will frowned up at her, tracing his thumb in light circles along her skin.

“Please don’t cry, Kym. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

The room was suddenly bathed in red light, sirens wailing outside the fogged windows. Kym glanced up before looking back at him, her eyes shining in vermillion beneath damp lashes.

“You promise?” she whispered.

Will lifted a hand, holding his smallest finger out to her. With a trembling laugh, Kym brought a bloodied finger to meet his, looping them together. 

“If you die on me, I will never forgive you,” she said softly, her voice cracking.

He grinned, releasing his hold to let her hand fly back his stomach. “I never break my promises, Kym. And I don’t intend to now.”


	2. Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exhausted conversation takes a deeper turn as Lauren and Kieran attempt some late-night wedding planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kieran and Lauren: *get philosophical during the dark hours of the early morning while planning their wedding*  
> Liv and me: *start adding sentences into our fics about the infamous Brad and beans to see if the other can spot them during the witching hour*

The pale moonlight sliced across Lauren's face through the window of her bedroom, subjecting her to utter transparency. She thumbed through a binder of wedding inspiration palettes and spreads provided for her by Kym, unaccustomed to the sight of thoughts being organized in cake and dress designs rather than red twine and worn photographs of suspects. A hand brushed over the laminated page - a hand that was not her own.

"The sheer amount of planning involved in this is ridiculous," Kieran said, voice wavering on unsung laughter. "I'll have to give that dumbass, over-excited, good-for-nothing, should-mind-her-own-business, doesn't-she-have-her-own-husband-to-have-fun-with-or-bake-banana-bread-for-or-annoy woman a piece of my mind tomorrow." 

"Will probably ran away from home for the night," Lauren said with an absentminded smirk, flipping the page. "These are pretty. Which flower arrangement do you prefer, out of these few?"

Kieran took one look before glancing away in disinterest. "Whatever you like, darling."

Lauren regarded him with a furrowed brow, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Are you okay? Flowers usually excite you, at least a little bit."

"I'm fine."

Dissatisfied, Lauren pressed further. "You aren't getting cold feet, are you?"

"The only thing getting cold is my empty bed at home," Kieran grumbled. Lauren laughed, taking him into her arms as they sat side by side on her own bed. She cast the binder aside, allowing it to settle into the pile of assorted catalogues that Kym had left in Lauren's possession.

“What are you afraid of?” Lauren murmured, threading thin fingers through his hair.

"What a personal question, darling - I never thought you to be the scandalous type." Kieran smiled softly, raising a questioning brow as Lauren rolled her eyes in good nature. “Why are you asking?”

She shuffled against him, propping herself up from the mattress on one elbow. Though her ability relied strictly on pitch, she wanted to see his face as he answered. “I’m just curious.”

“I’m not quite sure,” Kieran started, gently brushing a stray crimson tress from his face. Despite how his phrase formed as a segue into another statement, he returned to the comfort of silence, gazing wayward out the window.

Lauren's breath mingled with his as she considered his response. His lie.

He traced a thumb across her shoulder blade, sensing the slight scent of his cologne lingering in the fibers of her shirt. 

A small frown formed on Lauren's lips, her contemplation seemingly coming to a close. She leaned closer. “Why are you lying to me?”

“I don’t know, mon amour,” Kieran sighed. “I don’t want to remind you of… well, never mind. I said myself that I didn't want to remind you!” Chuckling, he passed off his hesitation with the guise of the lightweight tease at his expense.

Lauren narrowed her eyes. “Tell me, Kieran.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled, slowly erasing his joking facade. “I can hardly bear the thought of letting you down- again.”

His fiance’s hand paused, resting on his scalp. “You’re afraid of disappointing me?” she repeated, her voice resembling a weak thread about to snap. 

A moment passed, then two, with only the silence of the moon dusting the room. “I’ve committed so many gruesomely unforgivable deeds, Lauren,” Kieran finally said, his eyes wandering to his hands. Where he had once seen rivulets of others' blood, he now saw faded stains. “Sometimes I’m scared that I… that I might never escape from that part of me.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, sending a nervous chill up Lauren's spine. "The person I want to forget more than anything."

Lauren rested her forehead against his, humming in contemplative understanding. "Who?" she ventured quietly, pretending to forget the other numerous personas that composed Kieran White for a blissful second. He lifted his head abruptly, eyes seeking hers for clarification. "I've already chosen to forget."

He smiled ever so slightly, touching the back of his hand to her arm to assure himself that she was not a dream. "I don’t want to lose you. I already feel as though I've lost part of myself."

She shook her head, golden eyes searing his in the gentlest of ways. "That won’t happen," she insisted. "Didn’t we agree to leaving the past where it belongs?"

“It’s surprising, but I think the person who has found it hardest to forgive me is myself,” Kieran said softly. 

“I don't find it surprising at all. It's what makes you human." He blinked slowly, taking in her purposeful diction. His hand closed around hers, their fingers settling into each other as though they were formed with the intention of being together. "You have every right to regret your past, but your good heart has also given you the right to move on. And I trust you, Kieran, more than anyone. You will never disappoint me.”

Kieran grinned up at her, his hesitance still not gone, but fading. "I guess I have nothing to fear, then,” he chuckled, his lips meeting hers. Her fingers curled towards her palms in surprise, clutching his shirt as she poured every ounce of her trust into her touch.

"So you're entirely fearless now?" she scoffed, breaking away from him. " _So_ brave."

"Of course I am."

Lauren pinched his bicep, rolling her eyes. "Then consider this conversation over," she laughed.

Kieran traced a hand down her side. "I'm so glad I could entertain you, my darling detective."

Dropping back onto the mattress, Lauren curled herself next to him once more. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed, satisfied with her findings.

Their hands intertwined, reminiscent of a historic leap taken on a bridge, once upon a similar night so many years ago. The water underneath, though still stained in blood, pulled itself along a tranquil current as it lulled them to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first normal fic I've written in a while, so props to Liv for letting me hijack her fic (or double the word count, thus making it even more excruciating depending on how you look at it 💔)


	3. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summer storm only serves as encouragement for Kym's antics, and William just wants to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello, 'tis I. And-- what a surprise-- I have written yet another self-indulgent kywi drabble.
> 
> Thanks to my lovely co-writer and bean buddy for sitting in this doc with me and assisting with the funky stuff. And a very big thank you to [thumbipeach](/users/thumbipeach/) for reminding me how to speak English, chatting with you is always a huge pleasure! Much love all around ❤️

“Well, this wasn’t part of the plan.”

William heaved a sigh. “Kym. There wasn’t a plan to begin with.”

The Hawkes-Ladells stood in front of glass filled double doors, their path home from work obstructed by a sudden torrential downpour. William’s eyes roved over the nearly empty pavement ahead while Kym fiddled with an umbrella. His wife’s petite hand fell from his, joining her other in an effort to pop the umbrella's flimsy latch.

There was a clatter to his left, followed by a string of half-hearted curses. Ripping his gaze from the walk ahead of him, Will stared exasperatedly at the umbrella on the ground.

“This thing is broken,” Kym huffed, arms folding across her chest. He reached for the mangled mess of fabric staring helplessly at him from the stoop of the police station. “I told you we should have brought the car.” 

_Lord give me patience_. William turned back to the facade of the building, leaning their last hope of shelter against the stone. “You just threw it on the concrete, Kym, of course it’s broken.” He silenced her disputes with a stern glare. “And _you’re_ the one who said we should walk today, not me. I wanted to drive.”

The former sergeant scowled up at him, laughter swimming somewhere in her tawny eyes. “It wasn’t working, even before I dropped it. You’re just being mean because you don’t want to get your hair wet.”

“You’re such a child,” Will snapped, brows creasing. She didn’t respond, instead taking hold of his forearm and dragging him down the steps, her signature infectious laugh echoing through the deserted street. “I’m married to a toddler!” he chuckled, rain already beginning to soak through his shirt.

Kym laced nimble her digits back through his. “Although that notion is quite disturbing,” she responded with a grin, “I suppose my desire to run through the rain _is_ a bit childish.”

Upon exposure to that statement, Will attempted to duck for cover under each rare overhang they encountered while on their meandering journey home. With every opportunity she was granted, in turn, Kym dragged him through the many pools of water quickly forming in the dips of the sidewalk. 

“Kym, love, that thing is a literal lake.” Stopping short, William eyeing a significantly large puddle with disdain. “We’re not walking through that.”

His wife pitched an impish smile his way and tugged on his arm, sending him stumbling into the collecting rain. “We’re already drowning in this storm, Willame. A puddle can’t hurt you.”

Will groaned in sheer agony, shivering against the humid, warm July air as the water seeped into the crevices of his shoes. Watching Kym frolic in puddles was one thing, but doing so _himself_ was a whole other story. Brushing his bangs back for the umpteenth time, he stared down the street to the Hawkes residence. _We’re so close. You can do this_.

Kym gasped next to him, halting in her tracks.“I know what we should do!” He grimaced at the possibilities, wanting nothing more than to get inside and change into dry clothes. “We should dance!”

“I-- you want to dance _in the rain_?” Their home sat at the end of the street, beckoning him like a beacon of light. “Why don’t we just dance inside?” _Please, please say that’s fine; I’m literally begging._

“Because, Willame, it’s more romantic if it’s in the rain,” Kym explained, declaring him completely oblivious with a single glance.

Will restrained himself from informing her that there were much more romantic options than swaying around in drenched clothes. “You are _unbelievable_. We aren’t dancing out here,” he deadpanned. “Let’s just go inside. I’ll make dinner and we can--”

“ _Please?_ ” Kym pouted up at him. 

Will pushed a lock of hair, colored midnight by the downfall of rain, behind her ear. “That isn’t working this time,” he warned. The sun pushed from the dark crowd overhead, though the rain refused to let up. Kym continued to shoot him down with a pleading look, one which she had employed many times before.

He couldn’t say no, but he couldn’t quite say yes either. There was simply no way he was going to dance in the middle of the street while the sky fell down on them. So, he settled with a compromise. 

With a spontaneity that rivaled hers, Will caught Kym’s waist in the crook of his arm, dipping her toward the glistening pavement. She giggled, her upper half suspended in the damp air. As he leaned down to join her, she lifted a hand to his face, combing his bangs up from where they were once again plastered to his forehead. His lips met hers, rain streaking down their faces in angry tendrils of a forgotten and pointless quarrel-- over an umbrella of all things. She tasted of rain, of summer, of the watermelon that he had packed her for lunch, and Will truly didn't regret surrendering his slice to her. He would much rather taste it this way, after all. 

For a moment, Kym was frozen. She clutched at his lapel before allowing herself to melt into him, arms looping around his neck in a final giddy attempt to convince him to dance. Will laughed against her, tangling his grip further into her hair.

Lingering a mere ten meters away from their house, Will refused to release her. They were soaked to the bone, and yet he wouldn’t mind staying here forever, losing himself in her welcoming touch.

In William’s opinion, this was much, much more romantic than dancing through the storm surrounding them. And he was fully prepared to goad her on that. _Later_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... as you can tell, this is basically me writing extra happy kywi trash in order to cope with a power outage and then posting it here. As I stated in a comment on the doc: "IM SOFT FOR THIS AND I VERY MUCH LIKE IT." I find no shame in that.
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated, and although I'm not trying to force a comment out of anyone... they do make my day 👀 May this plotless lil' thing bring you some joy 🤭
> 
> I hope that you're all doing exceptionally well!  
> \- Bean ❤️


	4. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lauren, Kym, and Lila receive some letters, as well as a peculiar package.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy pardners. Upon obsessing over the two current period dramas floating around (which I suggest you read immediately-- if you haven't already-- and will link in my bottom notes), I decided to play around and channel the v i b e s of Louisa May Alcott's _Little Women_. It definitely ain't exactly an AU, but I was definitely inspired :>. Erm, I hope you enjoy!

Lauren Sinclair sat in the parlor, needles forgotten by her side, watching the steady drizzle of rain outside the adjacent window. The afternoon was characteristically dark, though not uninviting, warm golden lamp light introducing a comforting quality to the gray that often plagued the Arthingham estate. Lessons had been finished for the day, leaving the three young residents of the home to their own devices. Herself and Lila had migrated to the sitting room as was often custom, the other woman perching herself neatly in a velvet armchair to continue her latest embroidering pursuit while Lauren splayed herself across the sofa. She plucked at the hem of her sleeve, tangling loose thread around her finger, and pulled at it until her skin flushed lavender.

“You should have just gone with Kym,” Lila tutted from her corner of the room, threading her needle through a handkerchief and poking her head up, then glancing back down without so much as a blink. “I’m sure you would have had more fun with her,” she added quietly.

“Don’t be so sure,” Lauren smiled. “I do not find Kym’s chores to be very entertaining, and your presence is considerably more calming.” She pushed herself up, turning to face her friend, who let out a giggle and rested her project in her lap. 

“She should be done soon, anyways. Miss Arthingham seemed more forgiving than normal this morning.”

Lauren shared a laugh with the young woman, fondly recollecting the heightened antics of their companion. Kym’s enthusiasm was often unmatched, more so on Fridays, which they all spent longing for a trip into town.

“I do hope the storm does not worsen before the week comes to a close,” Lila began. “I was hoping to travel to the square. We’ve saved up enough, I believe, to visit the bakery _and_ our shops.”

“What do you think you’ll get, then?” Lauren asked as she pulled her hair back into a neat bun, securing it with a length of ribbon. “I’ve been hoping to get new boots, leather ones. This pair is quite flimsy.” She tugged at her laces, their ends frayed, and showed off a cream stocking to illustrate her point. “With all the notes our crazy bat hides away, you’d think we would at least get nice shoes.”

“I don’t think Miss A would take kindly to your name for her. And you must at least be grateful for the clothes she gifts us; they are quite nice. Maybe your shoes are just worn out from your… activities,” Lila giggled, fiddling with a needle. “I think I may get a yard or so of lace, for my next project. I’ll have some change to spare, then.”

Lila started back on her miniature roses, leaving Lauren to consider what Kym might wish to get. She averted her gaze back to the window, the panes holding beaded droplets of rain. The sprinkle had picked up by now and tapped against the glass quietly, drumming with unsure rhythm. She fiddled with her sleeve, impatientience creeping in as she waited for her friend to return to the parlor. 

Then, from the corner of her eye, a flash of navy and ivory flew past the panes. Lauren startled from her seat, throwing herself onto the arm of the sofa just as Kym burst through the carved oak doors. Lila looked up from her handkerchief, too, eyeing the parcels in the younger woman’s hands. 

“I’ve gotten the mail!” Kym cried, her usual spirit waking all that was quiet in the room. Her blue locks, now muddied by the rain, dripped onto the several envelopes in her grasp. 

“The mail will be ruined if you continue to stand there,” Lauren intoned. “Dry yourself off and show us what we’ve got, if anything good.” She eyed the brown paper parcel Kym held, which she kept some distance away from her sopping hair.

Lila greeted Kym as she removed her coat and boots, placed them next to the furnace, and stoked the low flames with a sure hand. The youngest of the ladies then threw herself onto the sofa, beckoning Lila to join in on the ceremonious opening of letters before peeling off her soaked gray socks. 

Miss Arthingham rarely received her own mail, the box remaining quite empty most weeks, though it was not unusual for letters to remain there for days on end. The days on which Kym fulfilled her simplest chore were quite the fanfare; although Lauren and Lila often complained of her lack of responsibility, those afternoons saw them bright eyed and reaching for the parchment she carried, their gratitude beaming through without hesitance.

Lila quickly skipped to the settee, landing at Lauren’s right. The two women ushered their friend along, watching as she painstakingly thumbed through the envelopes with an impish grin. Kym placed the package beside her feet, drawing an excited gasp from Lila. Lauren glanced at the brown paper once more, her eyes sparkling with intrigue; Kym was saving it to be opened last.

“Don’t peek, Laur. I don’t want any thoughts of it distracting you from your letters.” 

Lauren looked to Kym, sitting atop the arm of the sofa. “And what might those thoughts be? I am already bewitched by the thing.”

“Well don’t be,” the girl snapped. “You don’t even know who it’s addressed to; it could be nothing of consequence.”

Lila leaned over, ever so slightly. “Then why are we opening it last?”

“Because packages are much more fun. That is all.”

Lauren rolled her eyes in good nature. “Let Kym have her fun, Lila. We’ll see eventually, and if we rush our letters, even sooner.”

“If you plan to hurry through these, I suppose I must take my time in sorting them,” Kym teased from her stoop above them. “There could be important correspondence. Perhaps I should read each one over for you; guarantee you miss nothing in your haste.”

Lila shook her head from behind Lauren’s scowling face. “Please, Kym, what if you stumble upon something personal?” Lauren nodded, glancing warily at the envelopes resting on the young woman’s knees.

“Well then, it’s all coming to a close. I knew you were both hiding something from me. And to think of my honesty; I’m positively heartbroken,” Kym swooned before passing both of the women a letter. 

“You, honest? The count of lies you tell is just as high as mine or Lila’s.” Lauren snorted out a laugh, one which, had Lady Arthingham been present, would have sent their tutor into a maddened lecture. 

“This is all we’ve got?” Lila questioned, her smile becoming increasingly subdued. “Just one letter each?”

Lauren eyed her friend’s knees, on which her mail rested. “Kym, why do you have three? Do you, perhaps, have a suitor you aren’t telling us of?”

“Don’t be daft,” Kym drawled, plucking two of the envelopes from her stack. “One is for Lady A--” she waved the aforementioned packet haphazardly-- “and the other is addressed to _‘The Pupils of the Arthingham Estate.’_ I figured we could open it after our own, together.”

“Well then, now we have a parcel _and_ a letter to rush for,” Lauren said, tearing open her letter, which had travelled across Ardhalis from her uncle, Tristan Sinclair. She quickly skimmed the graceful calligraphy, announcing his wishes for the three young ladies to visit at their leisure aloud. Lila waited patiently for Lauren to finish before gently opening her own. Her customary smile returned, nimble fingers showing off thread and cloth samples gifted by her favored fabric shop. The two women then turned to Kym, who opened her envelope with as much melodrama as she could muster. Her face fell quickly, earning sympathetic smiles as she reported Wood’s Print Company to be completely sold out of her latest literary yearning.

“I suppose you two are dying to see what the letter says,” Kym said, pulling it from her lap dramatically.

“Oh, yes,” Lila giggled. “And what’s in the parcel, if you’ve forgotten.”

Kym unfurled the parchment and cleared her throat, preparing one of her many voices in a usual attempt at comedy. She lowered her voice, picking bits and pieces which she deemed necessary for her reading.

“Ladies Desroses, Ladell, and Sinclair,” she began with practiced vigor. “It is humbly requested that your attendance is found in Lord White’s Hall… Saturday, the eighteenth of this current November… and so on.” Lila laughed a bit at that, wringing her hands. “Although an invitation to a party does not usually strike me as odd, I am confused as to why Lord White would request our presence.”

“I’ve heard he works as a florist,” Lila supplied, and both Lauren and Kym repressed the urge to inform her that was quite unhelpful; their dear friend often took quick offense to such remarks.

“I’ve heard that as well,” Kym noted. “I truly don’t understand that. Why find such a menial profession-- or a profession at all, really-- when you are already in possession of such... funds?”

Lauren paid no attention to their conversation, wishing to further discuss the peculiar circumstances only after the rest of the mail had been dealt away with. “What’s in the package, then?” she prodded, gaining attention from the women next to her.

“Oh!” Kym gasped, fumbling with the papers. She held the parcel in her hands, regarding it in search of an address. “Why, it appears it was for Lauren all along,” she murmured as she handed the box unceremoniously to her right.

Lauren loosened the twine around the box, pulled at the paper, before opening its lid. She exhaled in displeasure at the sight that met her. “Another box?”

“It has a note underneath,” Lila pointed out.

Lauren lifted the box, glancing at the message that lay in the tawny wrapping. She inhaled at the script, then unfastened the small case in her hand with an adept rapidity. 

Kym and Lila stared in awe over Lauren’s shoulders at the pair of laced gloves that sat looming in the box. The younger of the two gently drew the attached note from Lauren’s fingers, inhaling sharply as she read over the notes contents.

_Lady Sinclair,_

_It has been requested by Lord White that you accept the honor of attending an afterparty to be hosted the eighteenth of this November at midnight, during which he hopes you will provide yourself as a candidate for marriage. He thoughtfully sends this gift as further encouragement._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okey dokey so hopefully I didn't just completely slander the v i b e s I am claiming to channel-
> 
> I sorta wrote this on a whim as a warm up, but I actually liked it and decided to just throw it in here :> . I changed my angle on drafting for this one, and I'm considerably proud of how it came out teehee. I might eventually lengthen this lil' thing into a multi-chapter train wreck, but for now I am much too lazy for that. But anyways, I'm all for a sisterly bond between three ladies :,,)
> 
> As mentioned earlier, here are the links to the two truly incredible AUs that inspired me. Please check them out if you haven't, both are so well done and are in progress, so you can be excited for them with me! 
> 
> [Small Choice in Rotten Apples by the insanely talented rabbit_hearted](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25700680/chapters/62402374)
> 
> [Lies and Legitimacies by the absolutely lovely thumbipeach](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773718/chapters/62597155)
> 
> I hope you're doing very well, and I'll see you on the next drabble ;)
> 
> \- b e a n <3


	5. Cocoa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Lila shows up on his doorstep in the middle of a blizzard, Lukas doesn't know what to make of her constant cheerfulness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> w o w Lola finally posting another one? _and it's a lula drabble at that?_ two rarities

The doorbell rang down the hallway, followed on its heel by a series of rapid knocks. Huffing, Lukas trudged to the door, hoisting a rifle that definitely did not belong in an urban dwelling off the wall next to the door. _Another pushy salesman_ , he thought, cranking the lock in an angry vigor. "Alright, you better get the hell away if you want to see tomorrow!" he yelled, cocking his gun and throwing open the door. The icy wind slapped him squarely in the face as he was met with a quickly faltering smile hidden behind wire-rimmed, foggy glasses. "Oh. Ms. Desroses?" The rifle clattered to the ground as he tossed it aside.

She giggled nervously, clearly trying to bite back her fear. "Oh, this is your house?" He raised an eyebrow, nodding in agreement with the obvious. "Well then, good afternoon, Lukas! I was out walking when a blizzard just tore through out of nowhere, and I was just looking for some shelter until it passes!" Lukas bit his lip as she punctuated each of her statements with a nervous exclamation point. "It's no problem, though, I see some lights on in your neighbor's house! I'll just go over-"

"No," Lukas said quickly. She did not want to go over there - his neighbor was some desperate bachelor who would take in any woman off the streets. Lila cocked her head, and he could see in the way her arms were curled around each other and how her pasty complexion was tinged with rose only in her cheeks that she had been out in this storm for far too long. He ushered her in. "Come in, it's fine. Sorry, I've been dealing with salesmen all week."

Lila glanced around the entryway, furrowing her brow. "Are you sure? Because I can definitely-"

"Yes, make yourself at home," he said, taking her by the arm and whisking her out of the cold. Lila released a surprised yelp, the last of her cut-off sentence crystallizing in the air as Lukas slammed the door. His other three rifles rattled against the wall. Lila turned around, eyes wide.

"You've gotta have backups," Lukas explained hurriedly, gesturing towards them as he hung the fallen one back up.

"I don't even have one," Lila remarked as she marveled at his collection.

"You ought to take one with you when you leave."

"Oh no, I really shouldn't-"

"You have to protect yourself." Lukas narrowed his eyes, thinking of his creepy neighbor and the ever-present Phantom Scythe. "May I take your coat, Ms. Desroses?"

"That would be lovely. And please call me Lila."

"Lila." The letters rolled nicely off of his tongue as he helped her shrug her peacoat off, and he couldn't help but think that he would like to say her name more often.

Just because it sounded pleasant, of course.

"Can I get you something hot to drink?" he asked.

"Yes, please! Do you happen to have hot chocolate?"

Lukas nodded, heading to his kitchen. "My cousin gave me a box of the stir-in packets for Christmas, but I haven't gotten the chance to try them yet," he lied, glad that Sinclair wasn't around. He did indeed have a box of the stuff which he hadn't opened - because it was too sweet for his taste.

Perhaps he would humor Ms. Desroses - Lila - just for today.

"Thank you!" She took a seat at the kitchen counter, swiveling on the stool to face him. Her strawberry blonde hair bobbed lightly, framing her face along with the pastel scarf that she still donned. "You're quite kind - it's a shame everyone at the office calls you Grumpy Cat all the time."

Lukas laughed wryly, taking two mugs from the cupboard. "Perhaps it's deserved. Plus, I will admit that I have a bit of an RBF, as they say."

"What's that?" Lila asked. Lukas froze. "Oh wait! Don't tell me." He shook his head, heating the milk in silence. After a few moments, Lila laughed. The sound warmed him slightly, more so than the drinks likely ever could. "I've got it! 'Really Beautiful Face.'"

Lukas spun on his heel, eyebrow raised. When he saw Lila's eyes crinkled in laughter, however, her thin frame folded slightly as she considered it, his expression softened. He chuckled lightly. "If that's true, then you certainly have an RBF," he muttered.

"What was that, Lukas?"

"Nothing important," he said. "But that was a good one."

Her grin widened, more than Lukas had previously thought was humanly possible. He smiled again, turning back to pour the milk into two ceramic mugs and stir in the chocolate. This was the most he'd smiled in one day since… the _tragedy._

Most would call it his birth, but Lukas liked to call things as they were. 

Sitting down next to her with their mugs, he found himself wanting to talk to her more. "So what brought you here in the midst of a storm on foot?" he asked.

"I just think the snow is beautiful," she said, eyes smiling as she gazed out the window. Lukas didn't think it was very pretty at all, plummeting from the sky in torrential buckets of white and blocking out the view. Still, he nodded. "It was only flurrying when I left my house. I didn't realize it was going to get this bad."

"That's alright. It's nice to have you stop by," Lukas said casually, taking a sip of his cocoa. As soon as the sugary warmth hit his tongue, he struggled to fend off the urge to spit it back out. No, his tastes had not changed.

Sensing a lull in the conversation, Lukas reached a hand across the counter to flip on the radio. As it crackled to life, a weather report faded into the room.

"Analysts anticipate that these storms will continue late into the evening, potentially leaving us with two to three feet of snow. Watch out for black ice. Driving is not recommended due to whiteouts. Stay safe."

Lukas peered over his mug at his companion. "I suppose you'll have to stay here a little while longer, Lila," he said.

"I wouldn't mind that one bit." Though her lips were hidden behind her mug, Lukas could tell they were upturned in yet another smile.

Truthfully, he didn't mind either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lukas was actually so fun to write ahahsfjdjfj the dialogues and the concept came to me while I was brushing my teeth how conventional
> 
> A little bit of soft lula is good for the soul 😌 this fandom needs more lula content >:( dw, I am dEfinitely going to write more of this ship
> 
> Thank you for reading ❤️ I hope you enjoyed! Ty to Liv for beta reading it over heheheh
> 
> -Lola


	6. Forgetting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William struggles to comprehend the reasoning behind Kym's sudden silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who need a reminder: le bean is complete and utter kywi trash :,)

William Hawkes was concerned. Since the early hours of the morning, stress, a constant component in his life, had escalated into worry. It had nothing to do with the corpse that had been found on patrol, although that issue had brought upon quite a headache, nor did it concern the increasingly irritable Captain Hermann. No, the issue he found foremost unsettling was a fairly uncommon one, which could be worded simply as such: his wife was upset.

As the day had gone by, Kym’s unusual lack of enthusiasm had become more evident. The last time he had even spoken to her was on their way to work, with his multiple later attempts to get a word out of her failing miserably. Though this was all unsettling, there was a small detail that tugged at him the most, one which presented itself during their lunch break as he watched her laugh along with Lauren.

Kym was only ignoring _him_.

Will rubbed a hand down his face, pausing to pinch the bridge of his nose. The majority of the patrol unit had fled the office, the hands of the clock having struck five once more. A few stragglers wished him a good weekend, one officer resting a hand on his shoulder on their way out.

“Good luck catching up to Lad-- er, Hawkes, Lieutenant.”

At that, Will turned his head, finding that Kym had indeed already left, choosing not to wait next to his desk as she would most days. Cursing quietly, he seized his few belongings, dropping a few last minute files at the front desk before jogging through the dimmed halls.

He reached their sedan in record time, not failing to notice Kym already seated in the passenger side with her arms set tightly across her chest. Inhaling slowly, he opened his door and slid next to her. 

“Hey, sorry I took so long, Kym.”

Kym offered him nothing in return, angling her head to stare out the window instead. She stayed that way, denying him answers to questions about her day and refusing to look his way as if her life depended on it. 

And so Will drove in relative silence, finding that he would much prefer their usual pointless banter. He thumbed through his recollection of the day, finding nothing that could leave Kym so displeased. Though he had made the wise decision not to mention it, he had even considered that the events of the day were perhaps just another one of her jokes, exploiting his adoration for her at his expense. But Kym’s tricks often came to an end once work was finished with, making his earlier contemplation quite doubtful.

William pulled into the driveway after what felt like years, barely stopping the car before Kym bounded to the front door. Chuckling, he climbed from the car, waving his keys at her mockingly. She glared, her straight face falling into a frown as he watched her fight off a laugh. He joined her at the door, standing in its frame after unlocking it in hopes of caging Kym in.

“Get out of the way,” she said, pushing on his shoulders.

Will smiled at that, happy to hear her voice after so many long hours, although he would have preferred to hear her laughing or complaining about paperwork. “Tell me what I did first.”

Kym let go of him, her hint of a smile evaporating within a second. “You should know,” she ground out, shoving him through the entryway and storming to the living room. She fell into their emerald loveseat and slammed open her half-read novel.

Staring from the foyer, William groaned, slight irritation mixing with his concern. “Well clearly, I don’t,” he said as he passed into the kitchen. “So I would very much appreciate it if you’d just tell me what the hell your problem is.” He grimaced then, glancing over the counter upon hearing a quiet sniffle.

Kym closed her book after a moment, swinging herself onto the arm of the sofa. “Think back to this morning,” she said, staring him dead in the eye.

Will tried, quite hard in fact, to determine how exactly he had wronged her that morning. He came up with nothing of consequence, returning her intense look with one of apology.

Falling backwards onto the cushions, Kym threw her hands over her face with a huff. “Since you apparently find it to be unimportant, I suppose I’ll just have to tell you.”

“It is important, I just don’t know what I could’ve done to upset you.” 

Kym tossed him another glare, this time fueled in annoyance, rather than hurt. “If you keep interrupting me I’m not saying anything. Would you like that?”

“No. Please go on,” Will said.

“It’s just that...” Kym sighed, her voice quiet. “You never hugged me goodbye this morning.”

William gaped at her, his anger fading away at her explanation. Yes, he was beyond irritated that she’d spent the better part of the day away from him due to something so trivial, but he couldn’t help but feel touched by her declaration. He left his station at the island, stopping at the couch and holding his arms out. Kym leapt up, wrapping herself around him as he did the same for her.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how I forgot,” Will said, glad he hadn’t completely ruined everything. A forgotten hug was definitely preferable to divorce. 

Kym smiled into his shirt. “Me neither,” she replied. “And you’ve got a lot more apologizing to do, so when I let go you’d better run back to the kitchen and make me some dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, thank you for reading •̀ᴗ- This was partially inspired by a conversation I had a month or two ago with Lola about kywi being a very ~huggy~ couple. In the words of my good pal: 
> 
> "They carpool to work and hug when they get there anyway... like, 'Yay we didn't crash! Yay us!'"
> 
> There was more to it but that's the basic gist lmao. That's today's fun fact. 
> 
> In other news, school is around the corner so I myself am not quite sure how that will affect my writing output. Writing is honestly a stress reliever for me though, so who knows, maybe education anxiety will lead me to write more often. Either way, I hope to at least publish when I can. 
> 
> I don't have much else to say, but I hope things are well! There isn't much to comment on but I always love input hehe 👀
> 
> With love,
> 
> Bean ❤️


	7. Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lauren makes a dumb mistake, Kieran makes an even dumber one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a while since I popped in a Lauki fic so here you go :>
> 
> <3, Lola

"Lady Lauren?"

Lauren rolled over upon hearing Lucy's tentative voice. A sliver of light crept into the room beneath the edge of the curtains. Her eyes blinked open. "Yes, Lucy?" she answered groggily, yawning.

"Do you have work today?"

"Yes, why?" The night before, Lauren had been out on a mission with Kieran and then stayed up into the early hours of the morning piecing together the information they had uncovered. She fell into bed mere hours before her alarm was set to go off at 6:30. Now, she rolled over again to peer at her clock, whose hour hand reached past 7. Lauren bolted upright. "I'm so late!" she gasped. "Thank you, Miss Lucy, I have to get ready right away."

Lucy nodded, stepping backwards out of the room. Without bothering to flip on the light switch, Lauren leapt out of bed, quickly throwing her nightgown over her head and selecting a white button-down shirt from the second drawer in her dresser. She threw it on without a second glance, barely doing the buttons before she was slipping into her uniform pants and boots. Something didn't seem quite right. Lauren glanced around the room sparingly.

A tie.

Foregoing the standard but optional vest that she normally wore to work, she looped the tie around her wrist and grabbed her satchel. She'd fix her tie in the office restroom. Still in the dark and without so much as a glance at the mirror, Lauren stalked into the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, and jogged down the stairs. Waving to Lucy, she took a breath mint from a basket on the end table and rushed out the door.

Her hygiene really amazed her sometimes.

Once at the office, Lauren raced through the hallway, determined not to be stopped by Hermann for lateness. She could still make it, and she refused to give Hermann one more incentive to fire her.

"Good morning, Officer Sinclair!" Lila said in a chipper tone, greeting Lauren practically as soon as her hand left the doorknob of the office room. Lauren waved benignly, flashing her gaze at the clock.

7:29. Just barely on time.

"Lauren!" Kym exclaimed, shoving Will out of the way to greet her friend. Will groaned, smiling at Lauren through bared teeth at Kym. She nodded, reaching out to hug Kym. However, her friend paused just before they could embrace.

"Lauren," Kym said with a skeptical sweep of her eyes down Lauren's body, "is that a _men's_ shirt?"

Lauren's eyes darted down. She had known something was off: the buttons were on the wrong side, and now in the daylight she could tell that the shirt was far oversized and missing the darts and tucks that fitted women's clothing usually bore.

Pressing her lips together, she could feel her soul leaving her body. She remembered exactly why she was in possession of this shirt.

_"Your clothes are soaked from that swim in the harbor," Kieran had said. They were back in his apartment after making a hasty escape from a cargo ship that they thought to belong to the Phantom Scythe._

_"They'll dry," she had replied. "It's just some water."_

_"You'll catch a cold," he pressed, eyes everywhere but meeting hers as he stepped into the next room. "I'm getting one of my shirts for you."_

_"Why just a shirt?" she asked jokingly._

_"I could give you a whole outfit," he retorted with a smirk, disappearing behind the doorway. "But it seems to me that your pants are drying fine. It's just because you wore a wet jacket over a wet shirt that you aren't drying at all from the waist up."_

_"Are you worried about me, subordinate?"_

_"Yes," he had replied faintly, no hint of a lie in his voice. Reappearing, he chucked the shirt at her, hitting her squarely in the face. "Go ahead and change."_

_"But I'm going home - when should I get it back to you?"_

_"Next mission - it's no rush, really."_

So she'd wrapped up in his shirt and worn it home, and even after she had been through the shower and was ready for bed, she put the shirt back on to sleep. And as a small means of repaying his kindness, she had washed the shirt and kept it folded in her drawer.

Until today.

She then realized that Kym was still staring at her, watching her reminisce over the memory. "Um...Lauren? You okay?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm fine, and yes, it is a men's shirt."

"Well, whose is it? Tristan's?"

"Well, you see-"

Lauren's words halted in their tracks as the devil himself walked through the doors wearing the same archivist getup and meek expression. In an instant, their eyes met, and she could tell that he knew. His gaze dropped to her shirt, and she could see Kieran White for just an instant - not the Purple Hyacinth or the archivist, but him.

Albeit refreshing, Kym could not know. Lauren twisted her lips in an expression directed at Kieran that clearly read "no", but not before Kym had already glanced from Lauren's loss of composure to Kieran's entrance and connected the dots.

"Oh my stars." Kym backed into Will, and he made a sound suspiciously similar to an _oof_. "You didn't."

Lauren tucked her arms around her sides, trying to hide Kieran's shirt from everyone even though they had all already seen it. "I'm sorry, guys, I need to put on my tie and I didn't get much sleep last night so if you'll excuse me-"

"Clearly," Kym said suggestively to the lack of sleep part, wiggling her eyebrows. Lauren could see Will's hand twitch, yearning to backhand Kym in the back of the head.

Not missing a beat, Kieran strode across the room to Lauren, looping a broad arm around her waist. "Good morning, sweetheart." He bent down and brushed his lips against her temple. It took every fiber of Lauren's being to not bristle at the nickname. She honestly even preferred _darling_. "Long time no see. Glad to see you're enjoying my shirt."

In that moment, Lauren's face was set aflame, partly in anger, partly in embarrassment. She faked a smile at him, much like the one she wore when he had first shown up to the office, and then shot him a real smile upon seeing him recoil at her coyness. She cackled internally.

_That's what you get for kissing me in front of the entire department and basically affirming that we slept together when we didn't, stupid man._

"Could we have a moment?" Lauren asked Kym, grinning wider at the fear crossing Kieran's face. He quickly hid it behind his fake archivist smile that she'd become so unfortunately accustomed to. Kym nodded enthusiastically, making wide eyes at Lauren as Kieran looped his arm around her, guiding her out the door and into the hallway.

"You look nice," Kieran said as soon as the door had shut behind them.

"We're out of earshot. You don't need to pretend any more."

"Was I lying?"

Lauren gulped, choosing not to reply. She fiddled with the tie still in her hand. "That was stupid of you."

"It was either that or they find out the truth. The lie was practically handed to us."

"Still, really?"

Kieran laughed, seeming almost offended. "Is the thought of...you know...being with me...that repulsive?"

Lauren gulped, glancing away. The truth was nearly the opposite - but Kieran could never know that. "You know what I mean. The whole office thinks I'm sleeping around now!"

"Or just that you have a secret boyfriend."

"Who is also my coworker? I mean, come on, Kieran. Are you trying to get Hermann to fire me?"

"If Hermann is that interested in your love life, I think you have a bigger problem on your hands."

Lauren shuddered visibly, crossing her arms to lean against the wall. "Now _that's_ repulsive."

Kieran laughed genuinely, prying the tie from her hands. "Is this your creative way of getting my shirt back to me after you kept it for nearly a month?"

"No! I swear, I got dressed in the dark, and I don't have another shirt on me-"

"I'm kidding, officer. Keep it."

Lauren toyed with a button at her midriff. "Seriously?"

"I have a bunch, and I don't wear them as often since I got my archivist gig."

Well, if she was going to keep it, she would definitely wear it again - on a mission next time, just to get back at him. "Okay. Thank you."

"But if you're going to wear it, have some decency, would you?" Kieran scoffed, reaching towards her neck. Lauren shrank back, swallowing hard. He froze, eyes wide and apologetic as he tore his hands away, folding them together in a benign display of harmlessness. "You have a couple buttons undone. May I?"

Lauren clutched at her collar, blood rushing to her face. "Are you kidding me? I just wore a shirt half-buttoned in front of the entire office too?"

"That's an exaggeration-"

"About the buttons, or the office?"

Kieran sighed, fastening the buttons up to Lauren's collar. "The buttons and only the buttons." They shared a chuckle, and Kieran hung the tie around her neck. "I'll see you inside, sweetheart."

"I'll await our next meeting with longing, dearest." Lauren glared at him as he tossed a flippant wave at her and disappeared through the door. Sighing, Lauren slid down the wall.

This was very bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "laumann has sunk abort mission" -Liv, 2020
> 
> "laumann enemy to sugar daddy, slow burn, 50k" -Lola, 2020
> 
> (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞ no
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this idiocy.
> 
> We'll say this takes place a decent while after 43 - I wrote Lauren and Kieran pretty chummy ;w; Lauren talks as if she didn't totally sleep in Kieran's shirt multiple times when it was in her possession 🙄 ugh


	8. Recruits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your idiot writers Liv and Lola can barely handle being welcomed to the precinct by a bunch of hot people

"We have two new recruits today," Hermann shouted over the office chatter.

Lila grinned brightly, peering over her glasses through the door behind him. "Good morning!" The two ladies standing at the threshold of the patrol office room waved shyly.

"Their names are Liv and Lola - Liv is a new patrol officer and Lola is a historian and new archivist." Hermann beckoned to the girl with slightly darker hair. She stepped forward, panning her gaze around the room as she took in the controlled chaos. "Everyone, this is Liv."

"Hi Liv!" Kym exclaimed, waving enthusiastically and soliciting a grin from the new officer. Lauren smiled warmly at the new recruits.

"Hello, Officer, my name is Lieutenant William Hawkes, and I'm in charge of the patrol unit," Will said, stepping forward with an extended hand. Liv's teal eyes flitted up to meet his, widening as she took in his blonde hair and handsome build. "Liv?"

The new officer stepped forward, falling on her knees before the lieutenant with her hands outstretched. The rest of the office gaped at the tears flowing down her face. "I WORSHIP YOU, LIEUTENANT. I'M AT YOUR BECK AND CALL. WHAT'S THAT? YOU NEED SOMEONE TO CLEAN YOUR DESK? YESSIR I'M ON IT. I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU. WILL YOU PLEASE MARRY ME? ACTUALLY DON'T MARRY ME, MARRY KYM BUT STILL. I WILL SHAKE YOUR HAND UNTIL MY OWN FALLS OFF. NMNMMNNNNMNNNMMMMMNNN THAT'S A HANDSOME BUILD YOU'VE GOT THERE."

"Uh, it's nice to meet you too," Will replied hesitantly. She slumped forward at his _effervescently kind_ greeting, fainting to the ground.

"Well," Hermann said, eyeing her sunken form with a grimace. "Kym, would you show Lola to the archives while we get this sorted out?"

"Of course!" Kym exclaimed, looping her arm through the elbow of the startled recruit. Lola shook her head, chestnut hair brushing her shoulders as she stared down at her fallen comrade. "She'll be fine," Kym assured her, leading her down the hall. "The lieutenant sometimes has that effect on people."

"Including you?" Lola asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kym scoffed, pink tinging her cheeks. "Of course not."

Lola wanted to call bullshit, but decidedly would not cuss her superior out on her first day on the job.

They came upon the door to the archive room rather quickly. Kym led her companion inside, glancing between the stacks. "Kieran?" she called.

"Yeah?" He poked his upper half out from behind a shelf, flashing them a dazzling smile.

"New recruit - mind showing her the ropes? This is Lola, she-" As Kym turned toward the girl to introduce her, she found that Lola had fainted as well at the prospect of working alongside possibly the hottest man she had ever seen, falling flat on her face against the ground. As if summoned by the explosive _slam_ , Hermann strode through the door.

"I've never fired two people so fast," he said crossly with a shake of his head, staring down at the fallen archivist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Liv and I already failed No Simp September 🤩
> 
> I'm responsible for most of this trash but I'm proud to say that Liv wrote her own monologue 🤡 we hope you enjoyed our catastrophic and short-lived careers at the Ardhalis Police Department.
> 
> Oh and I put Liv in patrol so she could "work under Will 🥵🥵" and put myself in the archives not only because Kieran is there but because I actually do in fact enjoy archive work 🤡
> 
> <3, Lola


	9. Remedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kieran falls ill with no one to take care of him, and that doesn't sit well with Lauren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title creds to Liv, the loml  
> if it weren't for her, this drabble would be titled  
> "Tylenol"  
> or  
> "Choking"  
> it makes me think of that song people use in edits that goes "if our love is tragedy why are you my remedy"  
> anyway :0 enjoy <3

It all started with a cough.

"Why does it sound like a dog is retching down the hall?" Lukas asked drily, balancing the crook of a coffee mug handle on his fingertip as he strolled back through the door to the office. Lauren lifted her head from her work in distant interest, pen pausing in its tracks. Those were perhaps the most words Lukas had spoken consecutively in the past week. He raised an eyebrow under his charcoal hair, scanning over the dipped heads of officers deep in concentration. "I'm waiting."

"Perhaps there really is a dog...you know, um, with an upset stomach...down the hallway?" Lila piped up nervously, poking her glasses further up her nose. "Maybe they're sniffing out drugs."

"You're saying a dog found some cocaine and vomited?" Kym raised her head from where it rested on her desktop, blissfully ignoring the papers she was crushing in the meantime. "Weak."

"It was a simile," Lukas said, crossing the room to place his mug on the corner of his desk. "It's remarkable how quickly things can get out of hand around here."

Kym snorted. "What a sorry excuse for a simile."

"You got anything better?"

A horrid, lung-detonating cough interrupted the petty office banter, ricocheting through the door that Lukas had left open. Lauren furrowed her brow - Lukas hadn't necessarily been exaggerating. Perhaps it didn't quite sound like someone puking, but certainly like someone had coughed up a lung.

"Shouldn't someone go make sure everything is okay?" Lila asked tentatively, her hands drifting back to the keys of her stenograph as if to claim "not it."

Lukas sighed. "Where is Hawkes when we need him?"

" **Probably dead** ," Kym said, nonchalant as she waved a fork spearing a watermelon cube that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The rest of the office gaped in horror. "No one here can take a joke. Will is out torching an academy seminar. Teaching? It was windy that day on patrol; I couldn’t hear."

"I'm sorry I asked. Literally no one cares, there is someone _dying_ in the archives."

"Well, we don't need the lieutenant when we have a detective among us!"

"Where?"

"Lauren! You like investigating things, don't you?"

The mentioned officer sighed, standing and scraping her chair back with a cringe worthy shriek against the floor. "I need to stretch my legs anyway." Propelled by a well-wishing salute from Kym and an appreciative yet begrudging nod from Lukas, Lauren cinched her ponytail tighter atop her head and breezed through the doorway.

As her boots thudded down the hallway, she could hear the coughing growing louder. Thank goodness it was nearly the end of the day - perhaps this poor soul could go home and receive a bit of care and rest, not to mention the rest of them wouldn't have to deal with the racket for much longer. Rounding the corner of the hallway, she stepped across the threshold of the archives and glanced around the shelves. "Everyone okay in here?"

In response, Kieran darted out from behind a shelf, eyes slightly pink at the edges. "Off-officer, hi-"

Lauren could only stand and watch as Kieran slipped back into another coughing fit, keeled over like a feral cat with kennel cough. She pressed her lips together, taking a step back. "Oh. It was just you."

Kieran pursed his lips around another cough, throwing her a saucy glare. "If you're wanting a file, come back another ti-" Another cough racked his body, cutting off his sentence sharply.

Nodding, Lauren leaned into the door frame. "Actually, I was tasked with coming back here to make sure no one was dying."

" **They sure are putting your skills to work**."

"Oh, shut up." She cringed, barely able to watch as he coughed again, a fist pressed to his sternum and another to his mouth. "Go home early."

"That's a no."

"I assume then your answer is also no when asked whether you want Lukas to spare your life during his bimonthly indoor target practice."

"That's a thing?"

"Sometimes more often. Depends on how many people get on his nerves." Lauren sighed, eyeing the sickly apple tinge of Kieran's normally honey colored nose and cheeks. "Well, my work here is done. Feel better soon."

"Thank you for your kindness, darling," Kieran managed to choke out before hacking up another storm. Lauren gritted her teeth, pulling the door to with a click behind her.

There was no way Kieran was going to feel any better any time soon.

 _He doesn't have anyone to take care of him_ , Lauren thought between the taps of her feet against the flooring as she made her way back to her workplace. _All he does is work - does he even sleep every night? Would he have enough sense to take a day off?_ Gulping, she took her seat at her desk. _Why should I be concerned?_

"Is there a dog?" Lila asked eagerly.

Lauren's smile wavered at her. "Just Mr. White."

"Ooh, sounds like he needs some TLC!" Kym sang, standing from her desk. Lukas, handily passing behind her, took her by the shoulder and set her back down.

"Since Hawkes isn't here, I'll gladly take up the responsibility of telling you to sit down and shut the heck up," Lukas muttered. "Unfortunately, the feelings for you just aren't there for me, so you'll have to wait until his return for cuddles or whatever it is you do in the breakroom."

" **Arm wrestling** ," Kym said, staring off into space.

"Yeah, whatever. White will be fine. His mom can take care of him at home or something."

Lauren bit her lip.

**************

It was just before Kieran's normal arrival time the next day. Lauren tiptoed into the archives, flicking the light switch. As the shaky incandescents sprung to life down the metal stacks, she rushed across the room, steaming mug of tea in hand. She barely gave herself the chance to look at the sundry sketches littering the margins of Kieran's notes as she set the ceramic on his desk, using a glove laying on the desk corner as a coaster. As quickly as she had entered, she left again, swiping the light switch as she did so. Just as she disappeared into the office room, she could see Kieran trudging his way down the hallway, looking completely miserable.

She hurried inside.

Later in the morning, the sickly archivist ducked into the room to drop off a handful of files that Lila had apparently requested.

"How are you feeling, Kieran?" Kym asked with a chipper grin.

"Not great, but the tea this morning really helped," he replied, voice slightly raspy.

"What tea?"

She was met with silence as Kieran glanced around the office, puzzled. Lauren kept her eyes glued to her paper, lips pressed into a thin line. After a heavy moment, her ear caught a pivoting footstep.

"Ah, Mr. White!" she said, not looking up as she held up a thick folder. "This goes back to the archives, thank you very much."

After a lengthy pause, his steps came her way, until she could distinguish his shoelaces in her peripheral. Uneasily, he lifted the folder from her hands, retreating. The silence in the office hung low like a rain-filled stratus cloud upon his departure, thick and gloomy and unbearable. Then the phone rang.

"Lauren?" Lila said softly, pinning the receiver between her shoulder and her ear. "Your presence is requested in the archives."

Heaving a sigh, Lauren stood again, reaching the door in four brisk strides. As she meandered down the hall to the archives, she forced one thought to circulate her mind.

_I only need him to feel better for investigation purposes. Sick Kieran means no Lune. That's all._

That all went out the window when she reached the archive room to find Kieran at his desk in front of the open folder she had just handed him, office phone still in one hand and a bottle of Tylenol and a bag of cough drops clutched in the other. He turned to face her.

Correction: it all went out the window when he smiled at her, nose still pathetically red with illness.

"Hi."

**************

"Sinclair, you look like hell."

"Thank you, Randall, I'm well aware."

No one except the returned lieutenant seemed surprised when Lauren returned to work from the weekend sick as a dog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that is why you should wear a mask kiddos 💔
> 
> lol I left it open ended aka had visions of Lauren taking care of Kieran at his apartment and making him take medicine and drink soup all weekend and crashing on his couch and- I was too lazy to write it :))) so here is this, I hope you enjoyed it :''')
> 
> DJFHDJDJF I WAS WHEEZING WHILE WRITING THIS why does Lukas have more lines than kieran in a _Lauki_ fic
> 
> oh and I changed my username :'> you can call me whatever you please (lola, viola, vla, plum, fruitcake, idiot, idk) DHSDJJKD actually whoever can come up with the most obscene thing to call me in the comments gets free virtual cake :0 not the fruit variety, dw
> 
> ❤️, vla


	10. Lovely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lukas gripes through his duties guarding the ball until a certain strawberry blonde secretary unexpectedly appears.

Lukas loathed dances.

Well, he despised pretty much any type of social gathering, but he found the idea of getting together just to dance to be about the most banal of them all. He reaffirmed his assessment of these types of gatherings as he surveyed the outlandishly dressed nobility performing stuffy ballroom dances around the room to the tune of a quintet. Everything seemed too orchestrated, too planned...too expensive.

He was certainly glad he was being paid to be there as security rather than attending as a guest.

A hand clapped over his shoulder. Lukas jumped, hand shooting towards his holstered pistol. "At ease," a warm voice chuckled.  _ Chief Sinclair _ . "Time for your break, Randall."

"Thank you, sir," Lukas replied with a stern salute. He almost shuddered when presented with a break - people were more likely to come up and make conversation with him while he was off duty - but he ought to make the most of it. The bright lights in the place beat down on him as he was assailed with a smorgasbord of thick perfumes and colognes and swatches of color. His dark blue uniform almost made him stand out more in a sea of brightly hued gowns and dapper tuxedos. With tunnel vision, Lukas made a beeline straight for the buffet of refreshments in hopes of encountering some alcohol with which he could wash the evening down. Pocketing his mask to signify he was on break, he nodded to Lieutenant Hawkes upon passing his station and continued on without so much as stopping to say hello. His eyes roved over the crimson tablecloth littered with porcelain dishes of hors d'oeuvres.

Punch, hard cider, cocktails...not a beer in sight. Lukas sighed, leaning against a column in the ballroom. What he wouldn't give for a pint to chug, or even a mug of coffee, rather than these up-classed  _ sweet _ drinks. He needed something bitter. He needed something that would wake him up. He needed-

A swath of familiar strawberry blonde hair caught his eye across the room.

_ She's not here. She can't be _ . Lukas narrowed his eyes, looking for her again, but she must have just been a figment of his imagination. After all, she was a secretary for the department, not an officer. There was no way she had signed up for security detail - not that she was incapable, it was just dangerous and not in her line of work. Perhaps-

"Lukas!"

"AGH!"

He whipped around to come face to face with the delighted smile he had been so certain wasn’t there. Something was different about it - not bad, just...off. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Lila?"

"It's me! Do I honestly look that different without my spectacles?"

He shook his head. Was that it? The glasses? She looked different without them, but no more or less pretty. Was it the way she had her shoulder-length hair twisted back in a soft updo, a curl grazing her pale collarbone? Or the floor-length emerald gown she expertly wore instead of her usual cream blouse and sky blue skirt, off the shoulder with a sweetheart neckline to create a demure elegance that was so  _ her _ , yet something he had never seen before? Her dress was so much less flashy than the others surrounding them, and yet its practicality and simple beauty instantly named it his favorite.  _ She looks stunning, regal...ethereal? I can't even pick the right word, but Lila is… Lila is beautiful. _

She giggled, a blush hinting at her cheeks. "Thank you."

_ Are you kidding me?  _ "That was out loud, I guess," Lukas realized aloud, brushing it off with his usual grousing tone. He couldn’t even pass it off as some suave compliment - he used the  _ third person _ , for heavens’ sake. "Sorry, am I in your way? I was just-"

"Am I in yours?"

Lukas gulped. "No, what I was doing wasn't very important anyway."

" _ Stupendous _ , because you're precisely who I was looking for!" Coughing on his own words in surprise, Lukas met her gaze, seeing a laughing, fearless sparkle in her eyes. "I mean, you've been on post all evening. It's about time you got a break!"

"I don't mind working," Lukas muttered, settling back against the column he had been leaning against before. "What brings you here, Ms. Desroses?"

"I've told you so many times, call me Lila! Don't make me say it again!" she laughed. Lukas pressed his lips into a line. It would be so much easier to call her the right name if she didn't laugh like- like  _ that _ when she corrected him, all sunshine and bubbles and things that he had forgotten he had liked before he began keeping up with his image of a deadly, tough officer. "To answer your inquiry, my father is often invited to these sorts of galas and brings me with him." She glanced around and leaned forward, up to Lukas, lifting a white gloved hand to her face as though they were sharing a secret. "I have reason to believe he thinks I'll meet a noble bachelor here who might take me off his hands."

_ I'd gladly take you off his hands, _ Lukas thought, careful to keep his musings inside this time. He also internally slapped himself. Since when did he, the brooding resident grumpy cat of the department, begin  _ pining _ over their innocent little secretary? Was it when he'd noticed that though she didn't speak much, everything she said was worthwhile, every academic word chosen thoughtfully? Or perhaps when she'd lent him her coffee cup, which had sported a bubblegum pink lip gloss stain that hadn't escaped unnoticed by him?

Maybe it wasn't so awful that he was slowly catching feelings - well, not feelings, but  _ something _ \- for the only lady in the precinct who gave him a second thought other than fear.

"Lukas? Are you in there?" She rapped on his chest lightly with her knuckles, miming knocking on a door.

"Sorry," he mumbled, not hinting at any sort of crack in his fearsome armor, however small. "I'm here."

"Would you like to dance, then?"

Every fiber of his grumpy cat persona scoffed  _ no _ , but it was barely enough to trip the  _ yes _ on its way out of his mouth. A smile broke across her face as she steered him through the dance floor, finding a spot fairly far from the quartet. He held out his hand and collected her dainty fingers in his palm, placing a hand on her waist as he thought he should. Her other hand settled on his shoulder.

And they stood there.

"What now?" Lukas asked hesitantly.

"I haven't the faintest idea how to ballroom dance."

"Then why did you ask me to dance?"

Lila's gaze dropped to their feet, his classic patrol boots juxtaposed with the heavy skirt covering her own footwear. "I wanted to spend time with you," she said quietly.

Lukas sighed. "Then let's spend some time together." He began turning awkwardly, swaying barely in time with the music.  _ You look very dumb right now, _ he thought to himself.

As if on cue, she laughed again, falling into step with him. Perhaps light-years slower than everyone else in the room, the pair turned a circle, and then another, before Lila tripped on the hem of her skirt and stumbled into him. Against his will, Lukas felt himself start to laugh. He reached a hand up to her shoulder blades, keeping her pressed to him in an attempt to avoid her seeing.

"You're laughing. I can tell."

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You should do it more often."

"Laugh?"

"No," she giggled mischievously, "be sorry."

Laughing openly now, Lukas didn't push Lila away. He had her right where he wanted her, head under his chin, in his arms, unable to fall if she tried. Safe.

As Lila settled into his embrace, Lukas decided that dances weren't _ so  _ atrocious. In fact, he would readily sign up to patrol another one. Even so, he felt like he was doing much more good on his break than while actually on duty. Why would he want to stand behind his mask when he could be protecting the loveliest guest at the ball?

Why would he want to hide behind his gloomy facade at work when he could be talking to Lila instead?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the occasional lula is good for the soul 😌
> 
> I wrote this a long time ago and didn't edit it too much (why did my writing get worse) but I hope you enjoyed and that I wrote them correctly (there isn't much to go off of)! <3 ty for reading -lola


	11. Lieutenant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An au of the Sound of Music, starting Will as Captain von Trapp (Lieutenant von Hawkes) and Kym as the governess Maria :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This deviates so much from the original plot of both ph and the Sound of Music that it's hardly recognizable as either :'D I hope you enjoy nonetheless
> 
> OH ALSO: in my au Will is not the father of the children, he is the eldest brother by quite a lot and it is his mother that passed away (stefan don't exist rn I make the rules)

It was a crisp summer day in Ardhalis, with only the light rustling of trees and the passing of the river serving as a soundtrack to Lieutenant von Hawkes's daily tending to the plants. As he watered the hyacinths and trimmed the hedges, the sound of childlike laughter-- and was that singing? - crept into the scene. Turning his head, he watched as a rowboat of children wearing matching clothes of a garish green floated into view on the river.

Not just any children -  _ his _ children.

And their pesky governess.

"Wait, is that Will?" he could just barely hear the youngest, Dylan, squeal. As if on cue, a chorus of "Will!"s and "Brother!"s rang out, led by a lone "Lieutenant!" He turned his gaze sharply, eyes landing on the sapphire-haired governess waving her arms wildly to him on shore.

"Lieutenant! You're home!" she hollered, grinning widely as she did. Clearly struggling against the children rocking the boat, she stood to wave, her cotton skirt whipping around her knees. Her guitar, thankfully safe in its case (although what kind of woman would bring a guitar, cased or not, into a  _ boat _ , he did not know) dropped from her lap into the well of the boat. "I didn't expect- woah!"

William watched in bleak unamusement as the boat tipped, not enough to capsize it entirely but plenty enough to throw Kym and his siblings into the tumultuous waters. Allowing an unintelligible yell of annoyance to escape him, he threw open the bulky cast iron gates to the von Hawkes property. Dylan under her arm, Kym floundered to shore, the other six of Will's coughing siblings leading the way. The moment their feet hit the ground, Will withdrew his whistle in one swift motion, sounding it loudly across the plain. Like some ragtag military squadron, the seven children filed into a line at the edge of the patio, hands clasped behind their backs and shoulders squared. The water from their sopping clothes and hair left a trail of puddles where they had been. Kym hung back, just beyond the property gates.

"Children," Will said sternly, stepping towards them. He scanned the row, landing on the golden eyes of his eldest - or more specifically, the disorderly damp cloth clinging to her hair. Ripping the bandana off Lauren's head and eyeing it with distaste, he stepped back from the lineup. "Go ahead inside and get changed and cleaned up."

Not a one of them made a move for the door. Lila eyed Kym uneasily, fingering the hem of her wet skirt. Harvey shifted next to her.

"Immediately!" Will barked, disbanding the group. He watched closely as they shuffled inside, Lila taking the guitar and Lauren snatching Dylan off his wandering feet and carrying him to the door. She stole one last glance back at Will, an accusatory glare crossing her face. In a second, it was gone, replaced by bland determination as she carried their sibling indoors.

"Now, where was I?" Will muttered, turning back toward the landscaping. A pair of coppery eyes peered over the bushes at him.  _ "You." _

"Yes?" she said brightly, almost cheekily. He frowned - how she riled him.

"Tell me, were my siblings...climbing  _ trees _ today while under your care, Miss Ladell, by any chance?"

"Yes."

"And, if I might ask - where did these…" he pinched the cloth from Lauren's hair between his forefingers, dangling it in front of his face.

"Playclothes," Kym jumped in excitedly.

"Is that what you call them now?" Will smiled, trying vainly to appear sardonic in his countenance. "Where did they come from?"

"I made them." Will gaped at Kym, visibly confused. "From the cloth from my old drapes in my room."

He huffed a breath from his nose in acknowledgement. "So you mean to tell me that the entire von Hawkes family was out frolicking around Ardhalis today in nothing but old drapes?"

"Yes, and they were having a marvelous time!" Kym said, drawing out every syllable of the word  _ marvelous _ with a musical lilt. Will froze at her playful smile, hearing his heart in his throat. Then she tutted. "Well, not the entire von Hawkes family-"

Will threw her an icing glare. If she mentioned-

"- you weren't there!" Pleased, she rocked back on her heels. Will sighed in relief, although it still was not a response he would have hoped for. "Lieutenant," Kym tacked hastily on the end of her conviction.

"I was working."

"You always are! Please, Lieutenant, I understand that you are a man in high demand, but you're only seven years older than your sister Lauren. You're missing your siblings' childhoods. Dylan and Harvey need a fatherly role model, Lauren needs your guidance, Bella and Lila-"

"You are not in a place to tell me about my own siblings," Will hissed.

"Well maybe I am, if I'm spending more time around them-"

"As you were hired to-"

"As you were asked to by your mother!" Will flinched. "She wouldn't have wanted-"

"You never met her-"

"The children  _ need _ you-"

"Go inside, Governess."

"But I'm not finished, Lieutenant-"

"Oh yes you are,  _ Lieutenant _ !" Will snapped. Kym's last statement died on her lips, and her crestfallen face made Will's heart sink. Just before he could say another word, however, the faint sound of singing echoed into the courtyard. He turned to the door, just slightly ajar where Lauren had stepped through minutes before.

_ "The hills are alive with the sound of music…" _

Will pivoted back to see Kym's face significantly calmed, her head tilted thoughtfully in the direction of the house. Upon seeing her dripping hair and damp clothes that she was clearly shivering in, Will instantly felt guilty for keeping her outside this long. Still, he had to know.

"Is that...singing?"

Kym chuckled half-heartedly. "With all due respect, what else would it be...Lieutenant?"

"But...who…"

She made no motion toward the patio, her finger tipping her chin ever so slightly in contemplation. "The children."

"You…" he trailed off, watching her close her eyes and inhale as if to take in all the music that she could. Taking one last look at her, he bolted for the door, leaving his shears and watering canister - and the governess - behind.

_ "My heart wants to sing every song it hears…" _

Will followed the singing into the sitting room, where he encountered a scene that nearly brought his heart to a halt. His siblings clustered around Lila, perched on the duvet and gently strumming at Kym's guitar. Their voices blended together harmoniously, with the middle children singing the melody as Lauren weaved a harmony into the piece and the youngest children cooed along at the end of each phrase. He shut his eyes, seeing sparks. He hadn't heard this since…

His eyes drifted to the piano gathering dust along the wall, to the bench where he and his mother would sit and sing as he played.

_ "To laugh like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way…" _

Will cleared his throat, as if trying to incite his vocal chords into relearning the ropes. Just around the corner, none of his siblings had seen him yet.

_ "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray…"  _ He hummed along lightly, getting a sense of the key.

"I go to the hills when my heart is lonely," Will sang, stepping casually into the room. One by one, each of his siblings' heads lifted up, the lyrics falling away from their lips as they gaped at him in surprise. Only Lila continued to strum along faithfully, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose. "I know I will hear what I've heard before."

Lauren suddenly came to life, leading her siblings in an accompaniment to Will. As their voices wove into a new song, he knew it would never be the same as with his mother - but it was a good kind of different. "My heart will be blessed with the sound of music."

He followed Lauren's raised eyebrows and widened eyes over his shoulder, turning to see a dripping Kym staring at him from the foyer in wonderment as he sang. Their eyes met, and he forgot all about their disagreement. He sang the last line as if only to her. "And I'll sing once more."

As the final note died, they shared a hint of a smile. Though he said nothing, Kym seemed to rightfully take his amity as an unspoken  _ thank you _ , taking her leave and disappearing up the stairs to change.

He could only hope that she would still be in attendance at the ball that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But the idea, you see, of William as von Trapp was too hot to pass up~ also Kym is a perfect Maria you cannot change my mind
> 
> For reference, if I were to continue this au (I'm not, but I considered it)
> 
> Von Trapp: Will (ofc)  
> Maria: Kym (ofc)  
> The children: Lauren (Liesl), Lila, Bella, Harvey, Dylan, poor child #1, poor child #2  
> The Baroness: does not exist I'm sorry love u queen  
> Mother Superior: Lady Arthingham  
> Rolf: ...Kieran
> 
> IM SORRY BUT YOU CAN'T DENY THAT IT FITS,,,, *MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD* watch me write the betrayal scene. watch me. consider it: all along they've thought Kieran was such a nice paper boy (archivist) and here...he's a Phantom Scythe assassin, he had them all fooled 👀
> 
> I HAVE TOO MANY WIPS RN but I'm✨considering it✨
> 
> Thanks for readinggggg <3 -lola


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